Start2Act: Safer Spaces and Participation in Cultural Education ‒ A European Conference on Child Safeguarding Policies

Die Fachtagung ermöglicht den europäischen Austausch über die Prävention (sexualisierter) Gewalt in der kulturellen Bildungsarbeit und die Relevanz und Potenziale partizipativer Ansätze, Methoden und Prozesse.

Eingeladen sind Kulturschaffende, Pädagog*innen, Kinder- und Jugendschutzexpert*innen, Forscher*innen und politische Entscheidungsträger*innen, um eine sicherere und unterstützende Zukunft für Kinder und Jugendliche in ganz Europa mitzugestalten.

Die Veranstaltung findet im Rahmen des Projekts „Start2Act − Safer Spaces and Participation in the Arts– Creating and Promoting Child Safeguarding Policies“ der Bundesvereinigung Kulturelle Kinder- und Jugendbildung (BKJ) statt.

About

Cultural spaces are places of creativity, expression and personal development, but they must also be safe spaces. The participation of children and young people in the prevention of sexualised violence must be age-appropriate, as it is a fundamental component of effective safeguarding and protection structures.

The conference ‚Start2Act: Safer Spaces and Participation in Cultural Education‘ focuses on the potential of cultural education to engage children and young people in preventing sexualised violence in cultural education. Bringing together professionals, child safeguarding and protection experts, researchers, cultural institutions, youth organisations and policymakers, the conference will explore how participatory approaches can effectively contribute to the safeguarding and well-being of children, and how these approaches can be sustainably embedded in structures and policy.

The conference presents best practices, methods and institutional strategies from different contexts. In keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops and interactive formats, participants reflect on how participation strengthens safeguarding processes, promotes empowerment and fosters a culture of mindfulness and responsibility. A particular focus will be on the question of how the safeguarding of children and young people – which is always the responsibility of adults – can be organised in a participatory and responsible manner.

Cultural educators, artists, youth workers, child safeguarding and protection experts, institutional leaders and political decision-makers are invited to shape a participatory culture of prevention – and to work together towards creating spaces for cultural education in which children and young people are effectively protected.

The event is part of the project ‘Start2Act − Safer Spaces and Participation in the Arts– Creating and Promoting Child Safeguarding Policies’ organised by the Bundesvereinigung Kulturelle Kinder- und Jugendbildung (BKJ).

Agenda

Wednesday, June 17th, 2026

Thursday, June 18th, 2026

Friday, June 19th, 2026

Registration